Te Tai Tokerau Bowel Screening Team Celebrate Health and Success

In a spirit of unity and dedication to community well-being, the Te Tai Tokerau Bowel Screening team recently embarked on a series of health promotion mahi, coinciding with Waitangi Day and extending into the following days. These events served as vibrant hubs of education, empowerment, and engagement.

On Tuesday, 6 February 2024 amidst the sacredness of Waitangi Day - a cornerstone of Aotearoa's heritage, conversations around the Time to Screen(external link) service tents flowed freely, centred on health promotion and the significance of proactive healthcare measures. Tinkerbell, our inflatable bowel used as an educational tool, proved to be a remarkable success, capturing attention, and sparking meaningful discussions and education.

Each eligible participant that requested a Bowel Screening faecal immunochemical test (FIT) on the day was placed into a lucky draw to win a gift hamper, this drew a lot of attention, and the lucky winner was Priscilla Davis. The wairua on the day was astounding, we feel honoured to have taken part in such a widespread and impactful event.

Building upon this momentum, our journey, planned by Programme Manager Keri Edge and undertaken by Clinical Nurse Specialist Shinu Kunjumon and Communications Coordinator Cora-Gene de Lange, continued throughout the week alongside the Stroke Foundation in the hopes to further reach communities across Te Tai Tokerau.

• Wednesday, 7 February, we ventured up to and spent the day Street Side with the Te Hau Ora O Ngā Puhi team who cooked up a sausage sizzle!
• Thursday saw us perched on the paving outside the grand Te Ahu Centre in Kaitaia. A large thank you goes out to Te Hiku Hauora for their support.
• Finally finishing off the week on Friday, 9 February at the picturesque Opononi Four Square with Stroke Foundation and Hauora Hokianga.

Each day brought new opportunities to engage with whānau and promote preventive healthcare.

The overarching kaupapa of the week’s mahi was to kōrero with communities and their whānau about the Bowel Screening Programme, emphasizing its importance in early detection and the prevention of bowel cancer. With Māori at a higher risk, increasing their participation in the programme is paramount to ensuring better health outcomes for all.

As we reflect on the success of these health promotion days, we express our gratitude to all who participated and engaged with us. Ka pai! We eagerly anticipate the opportunities ahead as we continue our efforts to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our Te Tai Tokerau whānua in 2024 and beyond.

If you, your whānau or a patient would like to know more about the National Bowel Screening Programme call the freephone on 0800 924 432, email info@bowelscreening.health.nz or visit the Time to Screen(external link) website.

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